Tuesday 12 May 2009

SURPRISE!

Since Dan is away and the kids are so young and have absolutely NO pocket money, I knew Mother’s Day would go by pretty much unobserved. I resigned myself to this reality and was just going to soldier on.

Hannah had been out of school up until May 7th (Thursday before Mother’s Day) due to the whole swine flu thing, but she came home on Friday asking what we were doing on Saturday. “Probably just going grocery shopping, why? Is there something you’d like to do?” I asked, without really wondering at all. She then changes the subject and asks me, “What do you really like Mommy?” I thought about it awhile and answered that I’d really like some gold hoop earrings to match the necklace Daddy had given me. So she asks if we can go to a store on Saturday that sold earrings. She explained that she wanted to buy some earrings to save until she had her ears pierced. She anxiously asked if she could buy herself (meaning, “Will you buy me?”) a pair of earrings. I was uncharacteristically amenable so the subject was dropped.

Saturday, we went to a super discount warehouse store that sells everything from vacuums (of which I bought one) to groceries but most importantly, jewelry. When we got to the Bauble Department, Hannah wanted me to show her some earrings that I liked. See, she was planning on wearing these particular gold hoops when she was about 46, so if I picked out something I liked, then ipso facto, she would like them when SHE got to that exalted age. So, we looked through ALL their earrings and came upon a plan. I would pull out the earrings I liked and then Hannah could pick from those chosen. I found 3 pair that I liked equally as well and then left Hannah to make her decision while I chased down her brother who was not nearly as engrossed with earrings as we had been.

All throughout the remainder of the time we were at the super discount warehouse store, Hannah would whisper to Logan and then cover his mouth insisting, “DON’T TELL!!” when he tried to share these privelged details with me. At check out, Hannah needed to use the rest room; I told her she wouldn’t be able to take “her” earrings with her. She looked devastated, so I suggested she give them to the cashier. As I loaded groceries (and vacuum cleaner) onto the conveyer belt, I peeked over at them and saw Hannah whispering conspiratorially with the cashier.

On the way home, Hannah wanted to know if she could wrap a “birthday present” for Logan, even though his birthday is not until June. She, Logan, a roll of wrapping paper and the cello tape disappeared into her room. After a time, a sign appeared on her door that stated: Mommy, Keep Out Until Tomorrow!

I treated myself by staying up late to make a cheesecake and watch a DVD, anticipating sleeping in the next morning. Logan had wandered into my bed sometime in the wee hours and was still in dreamland, when Hannah came in and dashed any hope I'd had of sleeping late. You see, the children take turns waking me early each Saturday (I'm nearly certain it's in retaliation for me waking them for school at 6 a.m. Monday through Friday). Hannah climbed on my bed wishing me a Happy Mother’s Day. Out came a lovely card she had made in school as well as a suspiciously familiar little box wrapped in gold . The scrap of paper taped to it read, “Happy Mother’s Day love Hannah and Logan”. When I opened it, of course I was absolutely STUNNED to find a pair of gold hoop earrings! Hannah was literally bouncing with pleasure at having surprised me with a Mother’s Day gift that I really wanted! My Mother’s Day? In a word, perfect!

2 comments:

  1. Oh, really sweet! Can I trade you kids? Mine INSISTED that 'American' Mother's Day didn't count and refused to participate. Of course, Aaron really helped to inspire them, (insert eyeroll here)

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  2. well, it helps that we ARE in America to celebrate. Next year, YOU tell the kids Mother's Day is coming up and give them lots of craft stuff to make you a secret card!

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